By Michael A. Smith, MD

Every 68 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, this rate is projected to more than double by 2050, increasing to one every 33 seconds.1

And although Alzheimer’s research is accelerating, there's still no cure to speak of.

However, oxidative stress could be an underlying factor in initiating Alzheimer’s disease.

Pro-oxidants from our environment and from aging itself appear to activate the genes involved in producing amyloid-beta protein – the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.2

Pro-oxidants in the brain damage brain cells, resulting in an accumulation of iron on their cell surfaces. Once the iron (another powerful pro-oxidant) accumulates, more damage ensues, leading to additional amyloid-beta production.

This new finding offers hope for intensive antioxidant therapy and iron chelation as possible future treatments for this devastating disease.

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comments:

Iron is still essential mineral, especially for women. People should worry more about useless heavy metal accumulation such as Aluminum (which was directly linked to Alzheimer's) and mercury. Both are found in food and body care products and both are dangerous. I wouldn't worry about Iron, since many people are actually deficient rather than have too much.

I am very hopeful that they will be able to turn this research into some better forms of treatment, like a more intensive antioxidant therapy. Will definitely be following further developments that come from this research.